


The Rhythm of the Night

by erynion



Series: The Origin of Love [3]
Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Angst, Break Up, Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt, Episode Tag, Episode: s01e05 Studs, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Protective Firehouse 126 Crew, Protective TK Strand, Tarlos - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23692447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erynion/pseuds/erynion
Summary: Everything seemed to be working fine between Paul and Josie, and T.K. felt confused and helpless when he saw things weren't okay with his brother. He knew he had to help him. Would that be enough?
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand, Paul Strickland & TK Strand
Series: The Origin of Love [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1698676
Comments: 6
Kudos: 91





	The Rhythm of the Night

**Author's Note:**

> Apparently, the muse is well-fed in quarentine.   
> As always, mistakes are mine!

“I guess it went well.”

T.K. observed Paul with an amused expression. He was intrigued, really. All day he had noticed some strange glimmer in his brother’s eyes that hadn’t been there the night before. Then Paul had gone on a date. She had taken Josie to a nice restaurant, not too elegant, not too casual. Just the perfect place for a first date. They had gone bowling later. And judging by Paul’s eyes, there had been no sleep for him after that: he had appeared in the station that morning with bags under his eyes, and that was the unequivocal sign that Paul had been too busy to sleep anything at all the night before.

He waited eagerly for him to speak, and just when he was about to, a soft voice outside interrupted them.

“Hey. Can we talk?”

T.K. looked at Josie and then at Paul. He was lucky, he thought: she was indeed a beautiful woman. His brother gave him a cryptic look that the young man didn’t know how to translate, but he didn’t really give it much more thought because Paul had left his coffee on the countertop and was already on his way to Jossie. T.K. grabbed his own coffee from the machine and stood there, a subtle spy, lurking in the shadows of the station. He observed the whole interaction between the two; although he couldn’t understand a word they said, he noticed Paul’s body was tense and Josie’s was… putting distance between the two. As was Paul.

Oh, no.

He felt his smile falter and ultimately disappear as the couple hugged briefly. He drank his coffee, black, no sugar. It tasted sour. He looked up and saw Paul was approaching with a look of utter defeat. A look he knew so well since, not long ago, he had also had it. It had been the same with Alex, minus the whole OD-thing. Since Alex had told T.K. about Mitchell it just… It had felt weird. Like the air in that restaurant, the one he was sharing with Alex and everyone else in there, had not been oxygen, but poison, entering his nostrils and infecting every cell in every part of his body. He hadn’t even had the nerves to throw the drink in the other man’s face, he had just… He just thanked Alex for their six-month relationship and left for his dark, cold, lonely apartment. And the rest was history.

Silently, he offered Paul his unfinished coffee, but the man didn’t even look at him. Instead, he went upstairs. Probably the gym. Physical exercise had become his little obsession after the scare in his apartment, as a means to try and get over Alex. He hadn’t completely, but sweating had helped. It had been proved by many researchers that exercising releases endorphins, also known as the happiness hormones. T.K. wouldn’t go that far, but at least it helped, and that was enough.

He just hoped he could do more for his friend.

T.K. stopped in front of the sink and squinted his eyes. He still had his empty cup and the one with Paul’s unfinished coffee in his hands. Perhaps there was something he could do for his friend after all. He left the cups in the sink, leaning his back on the countertop while he took his phone from his pocket. Slide, tap, tap, slide, tap. Great.

Not long after, a familiar voice greeted him from the other side.

“Hey. Is everything alright?”, said Carlos with concern. He wasn’t used to T.K. calling him in the middle of both their shifts for no apparent reason.

“Yeah, babe, everything’s fine. I just hoped you could help me with something. Or someone.”

* * *

T.K. smiled when Carlos opened his front door. He didn’t fail to notice how that black t-shirt highlighted his muscles, or the Latino’s sincere smile when he saw T.K. in front of him.

“Thank you for doing this.”

“You don’t have to thank me for going out with you. I’m happy to do it.”

“It’s not just me, though.” T.K. answered, getting closer to Carlos, teasing him.

Carlos smiled in response and grabbed T.K.’s body, bringing him closer to his. However, just when he was about to kiss his lips, he moved to his ear instead. He was about to ruin the moment with just three words:

“Paul is waiting.”

Shit.

T.K. shuddered when Carlos kissed his neck under his ear, his sensitive neck reacting immediately to the boy’s gentle, sweet, teasing touch. Their bodies separated and he let Carlos lead him to his car, a beautiful dark-blue Camaro, its shinning, polished painting revealing he must have bought it not too long ago. The intermittent lights lit when the car’s owner unlocked the doors.

“Nice car.”

Carlos smiled and walked past T.K. to the driver’s seat. He opened the door and sat there patiently, looking at T.K. with a serene face.

“Shall we?”

* * *

T.K. and Carlos had made it in time to Paul on his way out of the station. By the time the black man appeared at the exit, both men were leaning casually against the polished surface of Carlos’ blue Camaro, waiting for him. When T.K. saw Paul’s confused eyes looking at them, his smile got bigger. The situation was amusing, really. It was so sweet to find Paul speechless. And having Carlos by his side made the situation much better, his presence giving him a higher sense of purpose and fulfillment and success than the one he would have had if the man was not there.

“Hey guys. What’s going on?”

“Waiting on you” TK, still smiling, looked briefly at Carlos, who looked amused too.

“Me? Why?”

“Cause you’re coming out with us tonight.”

T.K. moved to the back seat and opened the door, leaving no place for further arguments. That was it, end of discussion. He was going to help his friend. And he was stubborn too – T.K. was not going to take no for an answer. However, Paul spoke before T.K. could get in.

“No.”

“I’m serious, Paul. We’re not taking no for an answer.”

Silence.

T.K. looked at Paul, who seemed to be considering it. Then he looked at Carlos, who was still leaning with his back on the side of his car. He smiled candidly without the Latino noticing. He was so lucky to find someone like them, he thought. Someone like Paul, a brother he could trust his life with, a friend he could confide in. A friend who needed him, too, in his most vulnerable time, a brother he would give his life for in the blink of an eye. And someone like Carlos. Sweet, kind, patient. A gentle soul, a brave cop. Someone he could trust his life with, someone he could confide in. Someone who finally understood him. It was in those moments when the sky was less grey that T.K. was finally able to distinguish some color shades hidden behind the dark, thick clouds, leaking out like rays of sun in a cloudy day.

“Okay, we’re not going bowling though, are we?”

“No.”

T.K. looked amused. Happy. Saying nothing else, he got inside the car and sat in the middle, watching the men patiently. Carlos moved to the driver’s side and was opening the door when Paul spoke:

“So, uh, I guess he told you about me.”

T.K. waited patiently for Carlos’ answer. Not that he really cared, he had told Carlos about Paul. And about Josie. And Carlos had understood T.K. without any more words.

“What? That you’re straight? Yeah. I don’t judge.”

T.K. curved a smile at Carlos’ cleverness and shifted in his seat when the other men got inside. It was going to be a fun night.

* * *

T.K. was really enjoying Paul’s confusion by the time they got into the club, Corona’s “The Rhythm of the Night” playing out loud. The strong man looked like shy children on Christmas night, just when they wake up to hear some mysterious noises downstairs. Too shy to get up, too eager to go back to sleep. They let Paul go first and enjoy the moment, and T.K. entered close by, ready to give a hand to his brother in case of need. Behind him was Carlos, always having his back.

He looked to his side and there he was, looking at him, Carlos’ dark eyes giving him candor and a sense of home he hadn’t felt in a long time. But he didn’t run this time. He had learned his lesson. Instead of running away from his fears, he welcomed the possibilities that risk had to offer. He extended his right arm and rapidly found Carlos’ body to hold on to. Soon, he found himself home when Carlos wrapped an arm around his shoulders and brought him closer to his body.

They walked the next steps behind Paul together, their relaxed bodies wrapped around each other as one, neither of them wanting to let go of the other. Around the three men, everyone gave themselves to the song – some people were dancing like there was no tomorrow, others were kissing, others were hugging, the rest was doing all at the same time.

“Y’all sure we’re still in Texas?”

TK snorted.

“I wouldn’t stereotype if I were you, man.”, said Carlos amused, pulling T.K. closer to him.

“Good point.”

T.K. looked at Carlos and let go of his body to wrap his hands on Paul’s shoulders, a close gesture from a friend, the final push he knew his brother needed to let go.

“Keep Austin weird, baby.”

He heard Paul laugh despite the loud music but he didn’t check his reaction. Instead, he looked for Carlos, who was dancing in the middle of the room with a face of pure ecstasy, feeling the music flowing through his veins with every heartbeat. He stood next to him and joined him happily, and soon other people started dancing around them, living life to the fullest, letting go of all their worries.

Soon, Paul joined them too.

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know your thoughts in the comments!


End file.
